Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL have many of the same main features and specifications as the previous Pixel phones. Both phones have Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor and 4 GB RAM. Both smartphones will be available in 64 GB and 128 GB storage. Like the original Pixel phones, the new Pixel smartphones also do not support expandable storage. Both phones come with IP67 rating, which means they will be protected from water and dust particles. Stereo speakers are also provided. Both phones are made of aluminum unibody and have a fingerprint sensor on the rear. Both phones run on Android 8 Oreo and are also guaranteed to get updates for a long time. There is also a new feature called Active Edge which is similar to the ‘squeeze’ gesture of HTC U11 and this will also activate Google Assistant.
After using both the phones for a while, we found that the Pixel 2 is better designed for everyday use while the XL variant is for those who want to show off. As the Pixel 2 has a Full HD screen with a 16:9 aspect ratio while the XL variant has an 18:9 QuadHD+ panel. The Pixel 2 is easy to hold and feels light. Its 5-inch Full HD OLED panel produces well-saturated colours. On the other hand, the Pixel 2 XL has a 6-inch POLED display which has allowed Google to design the edges of the device with a curved design. This device also produces and saturates colours well.
Since both devices have OLED panels, they also come with Always-On Display and Now Playing features. With the help of Google’s AI capabilities, this feature recognizes the song playing in the background and you don’t even need an internet connection. We were told that Google stores an on-device library that has 10,000 songs.
The buttons on both smartphones are well placed, although the XL variant requires a little effort to reach the buttons. There is a USB Type-C port on the bottom and both phones have a SIM tray on the left side. The phone does not have a headphone socket, which is disappointing.
The new variant has some changes in the software along with a new home screen. At the top, you will find a snippet of your daily tasks. Apart from this, reminders and appointments can also be seen from the calendar. The Google search box has been moved to the bottom, making it easier to access. You will also see Google search by swiping between the home screens.
Google Pixel and Pixel XL proved to be the best phones launched last year. And the same is true for Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL. These new smartphones scored 98 in DxOMark and beat iPhone 8 and Samsung Galaxy Note 8. Both these smartphones scored 94 points. This is a big achievement compared to the original Pixel phone. Google has given a single camera in these phones. Google had informed us that the camera has a combination of hardware and AI or machine learning. Which has helped Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL to achieve this feat. Both phones have a 12.2 megapixel sensor with wide aperture f / 1.8 and optical image stabilization. During video recording, the phone uses a combination of OIS and EIS. Right now while running the phone, we saw that the phone supports 4K at 30 frames per second while iPhone 8 supports 4K at 60 frames per second.
We also tried the single-camera portrait mode and it works for both the front and rear cameras. According to Google, the dual-pixel sensor uses machine learning to create a depth map and make the subject stand out from the background. The results look very impressive even in the absence of a second camera. We couldn’t use the camera too much but we will give our final verdict on it in the detailed review.
In India, Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL smartphones will be available to buy from November. The Pixel 2 will be priced at Rs 61,000 and Rs 73,000 for 64GB and 128GB storage respectively. The Pixel 2 XL starts at Rs 73,000 for 64GB storage. And this price is attractive. In a market dominated by Samsung and Apple, Google can give tough competition with these new phones. Especially when the first generation Pixel smartphones did not hit a big sales figure. Google told Gadgets 360 that, “We have learned a lot with Pixel phones in India and we are increasing our marketing investment. “
This means that Google will also consider offline channels as an option. Because in India the phone is Rs 20,000 more expensive than in the US. However, it will be known in the coming time how much this decision will be in Google’s favor. The new phones look good but we will tell you in the upcoming full review how it performs in comparison to Apple and Samsung’s flagship smartphones.